By WILLIAM BETEET
July 30, 2017
“This isn’t a question about what people deserve, it’s about what the state can provide its citizens. “
In a hundred years everyone will be on welfare.
If machine learning technology continues to improve and we develop strong Artificial Intelligence that can then teach itself how to do thousands of years of work in a weekend, there will be no room for people to work.
Man would have invented himself out of having to work to provide for people.
Now, this can either go two ways.
- The people in power may develop a dystopic credit system, whose only purpose is to give people enough debt to continue funding a treacherous consumer based economy where people who do not have enough money to consume, so they use debt, and are trapped in financial slavery from womb to tomb.
- We develop a universal payment program that slowly moves toward a cashless society, where people will be given enough by the state to live comfortably and have the complete human experience. A person’s self-image will no longer be tied to the market value of his commercial function. Rather the true pursuit will be to live, laugh and grow. The commodity for human beings will strive for is a following in the community of their choosing, but this will be separate from any commercial ambitions and therefore leading allowing people to be more daring and creative.
Poor people do not deserve welfare. This isn’t a question about what people deserve, it’s about what the state can provide its citizens. The wealthier the country the more benefits it should be able to provide its citizens.
All wealthy nations provide their citizens with the following benefits:
- Universal Healthcare
- Unemployment
- Social Security
- Pensions
- Welfare
- Disability
Why?
Because it makes society better for everyone when people aren’t living in abject poverty.
As long as the nation can afford it, it should provide it. Think about it from the perspective of wealthy parents. They are generally expected to pay for their kids’ college and medical needs if they can do so comfortably.
That’s the way the state should operate. This allows more people to live rich, fulfilling lives and leads to less crime for the rich, and the threat of revolt diminishes.
Full bellies don’t revolt.
Some of you are asking but if everyone sits on their ass collecting checks, who’s going to make the money?
The answer: People who don’t want to live off welfare, which is an overwhelming majority of society.
Most people not only want more money than welfare can provide, but they also don’t want the social stigma of living off the government.
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William Beteet is the host and vlogger of The Lazy Philosopher